Coming That Close
by Matrix14
Summary: The longest fic I've ever written (YAY!) *does a little dance of happiness* I think it's quite good, but it's not brilliant. Sam/Jack. Please r/r.


  
Disclaimer: Okay, I don't own anything apart from the plot. I'm pretty sure. The song 'So In   
Love With You' is by Texas.   
  
Author's note: Here's my new series, although it's pretty bloody obvious what's going to happen.  
This is, as always, Sam/Jack (because Sam/Jack rocks).   
I don't really know when this is set, just that it's sometime after Entity (season 4).  
Thanks to anyone who reviews.  
  
  
  
Coming That Close  
~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"C'mon, Carter. I'll give you a lift." Jack said to Sam as they were leaving the base.   
They were exhausted and had just escaped from Janet in the infirmary after coming   
back from off-world, where they had done nothing whatsoever except for collect samples for the   
first couple of hours. Jack had just called out "Okay campers, let's go" When they had been   
captured (not without a fight) by the natives of the planet. Needless to say they'd escaped and   
managed to get back to the SGC. Sam felt ready to collapse, something which Janet had   
unfortunately picked up on and forced Sam to rest in the infirmary. Jack had had to write the   
mission report, so he'd waited for her.  
"Thanks, sir."  
As they were driving to Sam's house, she leant against the side of the jeep. Jack looked at her and  
was concerned that she was so quiet. The one thing that Sam never was, was quiet.  
"You feeling okay, Carter?"  
"Yeah, I'm fine." Sam replied, rubbing her eyes to help her stay awake.  
"Hmm." Jack frowned. There was something wrong. Mind you, the mission had been hard on   
Sam. As Daniel and Teal'c were unconcious, it'd been up to her to think of a plan. "How about   
some music?" Jack flicked on the radio to hear the first strains of 'Spaceman'. "Maybe not that  
station, then." Jack grinned at Sam, but she was staring into the distance. "Okay, how about this   
one?" Jack flicked the tuner again and got a Californian voice saying,  
"Right now, top five songs ever. Here's number three...."  
The music started, and Sam seemed to break out of her trance to listen to it. Jack sank back in   
his seat and began to relax.....  
  
*I'm so in love with you,  
I'm so in love with you,  
Whether it is right or it's wrong,  
I'm too weak to be strong,  
I'm so in love with you.  
  
You say you need someone,  
To help you when you're down,  
To take your fear away.  
You say you need someone,  
To keep your feet on the ground,  
And help you on your way.  
  
Yeah,  
You're all that I need.  
Yeah,  
You're the one that I need.  
  
I'm so in love with you,  
I'm so in love with you,  
Whether it is right or it's wrong,  
I'm too weak to be strong,  
I'm so in love with you.  
  
And when you see your reflection,  
You say it isn't you,  
And then you turn the other way.  
And I can't watch you suffer,  
And see your pain,  
Please don't fade away.  
  
Yeah,  
All that I need.  
Yeah,  
You are the one that I need.  
  
I'm so in love with you,  
I'm so in love with you,  
Whether it is right or it's wrong,  
I'm too far gone,  
I'm so in love with you.  
  
Yes I'm right here,  
I'm so in love with you.  
I'm so in love,  
Yeah,  
With you,  
I am.  
You gotta tell me,  
You know you gotta tell me,  
Whether you love me too.  
  
I'm so in love,  
I'm so in love,  
I'm so in love with you.*  
  
  
Jack turned the radio off and glanced at Sam, and was suprised to see that she had fallen asleep.  
He grinned as her head slipped of her hand and she woke with a start. She jumped and looked at   
him, blushing. Jack had never seen Sam blush before.  
"Hey, we're here." Jack pulled up outside the house.  
"Thanks." Sam jumped out as she always did, in a way Jack had never seen anyone else do.  
She walked up to the door and was about to go inside when Jack called after her,  
"Carter...I mean, Sam!"  
"Sir?"  
"Are you doing anything tonight?"  
"No sir, well, apart from sleeping."  
"Wanna go get a drink, maybe go find Daniel and Teal'c?"  
"I don't know, sir. I've got to be back on base tomorrow."  
"Oh, c'mon Carter. Live a little!"  
"Oh, alright then." Sam grinned and walked back over to the jeep. Jack looked at her   
thoughtfully.  
"You know, we could always forget Daniel and Teal'c..."  
"Better not, you know what the talk at the base is like. Anyway, Daniel'd never forgive us if we  
didn't take him." Sam's eyes glittered mischeviously, "Maybe we can give him and Janet a   
jump-start."  
"Yeah well, they need it." Jack grinned at the look that he sometimes caught on Daniel's face   
when Janet walked in.  
"I just need to get changed."  
"Yeah, me too. I'll see you back here at 9:30, then we'll go get Danny, Janet and Teal'c."  
  
A Bar (somewhere)  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"Here you are," Jack placed a drink in front of Sam.  
"Thanks. Look at Daniel and Janet." Sam nodded to the middle of a crowd of dancing couples  
where Daniel and Janet were dancing suspiciously close together.  
"Hey, for an archeologist he's got rhythm." Jack looked suprised that Daniel could dance.  
"How many archeologists have you actually seen dancing?"  
"Okay, okay, so he's a better dancer than I am." Jack pretended to be annoyed. Sam smiled,  
"Pity Teal'c wouldn't come."  
"Yeah. Mind you he would've been pretty boring, 'O'Niell, I do not feel that you should be  
drinking alcohol the night before a mission.' " Jack grimaced and Sam laughed at his impression  
of the ever serious Teal'c.  
Suddenly, Jack's face went white and he gripped the table as if he was about to faint.  
"Sir?" Sam asked anxiously.  
"I'm fine."  
"Are you sure, you looked like you were about to faint..." Sam put a hand on his arm to steady  
him  
"I said I'm fine." Jack snapped and got up and walked out. Sam followed him and saw him  
leaning against the wall with his eyes closed, as if he was in pain. He heard her approaching and   
looked up.   
"I'm sorry, sir."  
"No, I shouldn't have been such a jerk."  
"I don't mind. Are you okay?"  
"Yeah, I'm fine."  
"Come back inside, Daniel'll jump to conclusions."  
"No, you go ahead. I think I'll head home." Boy, the mission must have taken more out of me   
than I thought, Jack thought.  
"If you're sure. See you tomorrow, Colonel."  
"Yeah. Don't stay out too late!" Jack tried to be funny, but failed miserably, "See ya."  
  
  
The Next Morning At The Base  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"Good morning, campers!" Jack strolled into Sam's lab, where Daniel, Teal'c and Sam were   
standing looking at something, "Ready to head on out?"   
They all looked up, startled and Jack didn't like the 'I've found something weird' look on Sam's  
face.  
"Sir, I think you should see this." Sam moved so that Jack could look down the microscope, "We  
found it in the samples that Janet took yesterday."   
All he could see were a lot of funny shapes.  
"And I'm looking at a.....?"  
"A non-transversal micron virular structure. It's like some sort of super-disease."  
"I knew that." Jack paused, "What's it do?"  
"For the first couple of days a human is infected, it's like a regular flu virus. You get hot and cold  
flushes, aching joints, occasional fainting," Sam looked at him, "Then it gets worse."  
"How much worse?"  
"Pick a number and multiply it by a million." Daniel broke in.  
"Thanks, Danny." Jack looked at Sam again, "What happens to you if you're infected?"  
"Your mental state gradually deteriorates and you end up in a coma. Then you die."  
"I have seen a disease similar to this drive the strongest Jaffa to suicide." Teal'c spoke even   
more gravely than usual.  
"And you're telling me this because....?" Jack had a feeling he wasn't going to like Sam's reply.  
"You're infected, sir."  
"Come again, Carter?"  
"You've got the virus, Jack." Daniel looked at him pityingly.  
"Okay," Jack nodded slowly, "So what cures are there?"  
"I'm sorry, sir, but there isn't a cure. It's a virus, and virus's don't respond to antibiotics." Sam   
looked as she always did when she was giving someone bad news.  
Jack sat and stared at the door in silence. Sam knew this was a bad sign and glanced at Daniel.   
Jack stood up suddenly and walked out.  
"Damn." Sam cursed.  
  
  
Later That Week  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
General Hammond turned to Janet, "You are sure that Colonel O'Niell will be fine for at least   
this mission?"  
"If the virus follows the patterns that we've found so far, Colonel O'Niell has at least two   
months before his movement is inhibited." Janet spoke normally, although she didn't agree with  
sending an ill person off-world.  
General Hammond looked at Sam and Daniel,  
"Major Carter, are you happy with this?"  
"Yes, sir. If the Colonel has two months, we can't just expect him to do nothing."  
"Dr Jackson?"  
"If Jack's okay with it..."  
"And Teal'c?"  
"I believe that Colonel O'Niell should make use of the time he has."  
"So do I, sir!" Jack strolled in, "If no one has any objections, I think we should get going."  
"Certainly. Begin dialling out."  
  
  
On Z5R9090  
~~~~~~~~~  
Daniel had wandered off somewhere and Teal'c was walking around looking menacing. Sam took  
the opportunity to talk to Jack. He was kneeling by some rocks and Sam knew he was in pain   
and trying not to show it. She knelt down next to him and spoke softly,  
"Are you sure you wanna go on with the mission? We could go back."  
"I feel fine."  
"Do you, sir?"  
"Look, Carter, I am not going to give in to this."  
"I know, but have you accepted what's happening to you?"  
"Of course I have."  
"Are you sure?"  
"For crying out loud, Carter! I'm fine with it! Why can't everyone just get over it and mind their  
own freakin' business!"  
Jack stood up and stalked off, with difficulty, as he felt a twinge of pain in the back of his skull.  
Sam saw him wince and walked up behind him. She wasn't going to let this one go.  
"Look, sir, the only reason I'm asking is because we care. Next time we won't bother. You can  
go to hell!"  
Sam turned round and walked off. How dare he be so ungrateful when they were all breaking  
their necks worrying about him.   
Jack felt a terrible pain in his head. He gasped and grabbed onto a tree for support.  
"Sam!" He gasped.  
"What is it? I don't care what you say anymore. I'll probably get court-martialled for speaking to  
you like this, but hey, what the hell!"  
Jack felt blood running down the side of his face from his ear.  
"Help me....."  
Sam spun round and watched as Jack collapsed in a heap.  
"Jack!" Sam rushed over and knelt next to him, "Daniel! Teal'c!"  
Jack struggled to open his eyes and moaned in pain. Sam touched his cheek and felt an   
unbelievable sense of panic that she couldn't do anything to help him.  
"Oh God, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean what I said!"   
"No, I'm sorry." Jack croaked.  
"It doesn't matter."  
"Yes it does. I was out of order."  
"So was I."  
"I..." Jack paused, "I know there's nothing you can do for me."  
"No, we won't give up."   
"I'm not going to be able to recognise you soon, am I?"  
Sam shook her head, biting her lip.  
"In that case, I got a couple of things I want to say to you." Jack took her hand, and something   
told her to pull away, something was screaming in her head that this was Colonel O'Niell, her   
CO. But something else said, this is Jack, and you won't have another chance. She saw the   
awful despiration and finality in his eyes as he looked up at her. "Okay, number one. I know  
this'll sound stupid, but in my locker, there's a pair of amethyst earrings. I bought them for your   
birthday but.....Anyway. Number two. Yeah, number two...that's a hard one. I guess I'm going to   
have to come right out and say it. I love you."  
Sam looked at him and knew that he meant it.  
"I know." She smiled at him and brushed back a strand of his hair. Jack closed his eyes and Sam  
knew it would be for the last time.   
"Good." He whispered, and slipped into unconciousness.  
Sam wrapped her arms round him and held him, rocking him backwards and forwards. She   
knew that he was still alive and that Janet could keep him that way until thay could find a cure.  
And she wouldn't rest until they did.   
  
  
Back At The SGC  
~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Teal'c carried Jack down the ramp, followed by Daniel and Sam.  
"Okay, we need a medical team!" Daniel called.  
Janet came running out and saw Jack.  
"Oh my God." She gasped then turned to the rest of them, "We need to get him up to the   
infirmary. How long's he been like this?"  
"About half an hour." Sam answered, following Jack with her eyes as he was wheeled out on a   
stretcher. She walked after him, talking to Janet, "He's unconcious and it looks like the virus  
has been speeded up by something. He's in the final stage."  
"Sam, I'm sorry. I thought we had more time."  
"No, don't worry about it. I'm going to go and get those samples from my lab." Sam strode off  
down the corridor and Janet knew she was hiding the fact that she wanted to sit with Jack. Sam   
was too stubborn to see what everyone on the base had seen for months.  
Janet hurried back up to the infirmary and was met by the sight of Daniel, Teal'c and  
General Hammond watching Jack through the glass of the isolaton bay. General Hammond   
turned and said the thing Janet had been dreading,  
"Dr Fraiser, I thought you said we had two months. What happened?"  
"I don't know, sir. I have to do some more tests."  
General Hammond looked through the glass at Jack, who he'd come to think of as an adoptive  
son, and sighed,  
"I want you to answer honestly, Dr. Can we beat this thing?"  
"I don't know, sir. But we're not going to stop trying."  
General Hammond nodded and left. Janet looked through the glass and felt a horrible sense  
of guilt. If she'd done things differently, Jack wouldn't have collapsed off-world. He would have   
been in the infirmary, where they could treat him.  
Daniel saw tears of self-failure spring to Janet's eyes.  
"Hey, don't blame yourself. There's no way you could've known."  
"But if I'd checked my results, if I'd taken more time, I would never have let him leave the base.  
He would've been here." Janet's voice broke.  
"It wasn't your fault. You couldn't have kept Jack here even if you wanted to, you know that."  
"I know." Janet wiped her eyes and sniffed, "But it doesn't make me feel any better."  
  
  
General Hammond walked into Sam's lab and saw her bent over a microscope. He cleared his   
throat and she jumped.  
"Major Carter."  
"Sir?"  
"I need to have a word." The General looked at the airmen studying the microscopes also and  
they quickly left, "I'm not blind. I can see that Colonel O'Niell means a lot to you."  
"He means a lot to all of us."  
"You know what I mean, Major. I can't authorise anything in violation of regulations, but what  
I don't see won't hurt me." He looked hard at Sam, "I think you get my meaning."  
Sam managed a small smile,  
"Thankyou, sir."  
"Now I think you should get to the infirmary."  
"Why, sir? Has anything happened?"  
"No, but I think Dr Fraiser could do with some help."  
Sam nodded and left. Had the General just said what she thought he had? She took a deep breath  
and walked into the infirmary.   
"Sam!" Daniel said, "Have you come to see Jack?"  
"I need to see Janet."  
"Oh." Daniel looked puzzled, "She's through there." He pointed through the door to the isolation  
bay viewing window. Sam walked through and saw Janet watching Jack through the glass   
window. Sam followed her gaze and gasped as she saw Jack lying on the bed with tubes and   
wires sticking out of him. He looked so helpless and small. Janet heard the gasp and turned   
round.  
"Sam. We're doing all we can, but without a cure, he's going to be depending on life support  
within a week." Janet spoke softly.  
"I've got those samples you wanted. I've had a look at them and I can't see anything different,   
but - "  
"- Sam." Janet interupted, "I've got everyone working on this. Go and get some sleep."  
"No. I should be helping."  
"You can't do anything, Sam."  
Sam looked through the window again and sighed,  
"I can't just sit and do nothing. We can travel half-way across the universe, but we can't do   
anything to save him!"  
"I know. Maybe you should go and talk to him."  
"What's that going to do? Anyway, he's in quarentine."  
" Having Jolinar inside you left some sort of protection from these sort of things. You know that   
hearing's the last thing to go. And maybe he needs you just as much as you need  
him." Janet put her hand on Sam's shoulder, "Go and sit with him."  
Sam nodded and walked out. Janet was right, she did need him, and he was the one who was in  
a coma.   
  
Sam opened the door and walked in. It was silent and she felt as if she was disturbing some sort  
of force as she walked slowly towards the bed.  
"Colonel?" She whispered. He looked so peaceful, like he was sleeping. Of course he couldn't  
talk to her, but if he was still aware of what was going on, maybe hearing her talk would help  
keep him there.  
She pulled up a chair and sat down next to him, looking at all the monitors connected to him.  
"It's me, Major Carter. Um, I don't really know what to say to you, and I feel kinda stupid   
sitting here and talking to you....."  
  
Sam sat and talked to Jack for the best part of two hours. She got no response, but she knew  
that he could hear her. It was half past two in the morning when she finally fell asleep   
holding Jack's hand, with her head resting on the bed. Janet stayed behind in the lab, checking  
over hundreds of samples.  
Suddenly, Jack began to shake. Sam woke up and saw him tossing and turning, as if  
he was having a nightmare.   
"Janet!" She called.  
She spoke to Jack, holding him so he would stop moving, he was in danger of falling off the bed.  
Where the hell was Janet?  
"Jack, shhhhh."   
He was muttering something,  
"No, no. Leave me alone. NO! NO!" Jack yelled.  
Sam stood up and leant over him. She sat on the bed and held him to stop him from moving.  
She began to sing to him as Janet sang to Cassie when she had nightmares.  
"When the daylight's gone,  
And you're on your own,  
And you need a friend,  
Just to be around.  
I will comfort you,  
I will take your hand,  
And I'll pull you through,  
I will understand.  
And you know that,  
I'll be at your side,  
There's no need to worry.  
Together we'll survive,  
Through the haste and hurry.  
I'll be at your side...."  
  
Janet rushed into the viewing room when she heard Sam's shout. She looked through the window   
and stopped at what she saw. Sam was sitting on the bed, singing to Jack and holding him like he  
was a young child. Janet watched them, finding it hard to comprehend the amazing love and   
understanding that flowed between Sam and Jack.  
  
  
The Next Day  
~~~~~~~~~   
"Sam." Janet spoke gently to wake Sam up. She lifted her head sleepily and looked round,  
"What?"  
"It's 8:30. The General wants to see you."  
Sam seemed to realise that she was holding Jack's hand and hurredly let go. She tried to   
straighten her hair (unsuccesfully) and stood up to go. She remembered that she wanted to ask  
Janet about what had happened to Jack,  
"Jack had a nightmare last night."  
"I heard."  
"How come? I mean if you're unconcious, you don't have dreams."  
"Jack isn't unconcious anymore, Sam. He's just on the brink of waking up."  
"What? I thought those samples showed he'd just...die.?"  
"They did, but he appears to be strong enough to fight it. All I can think is that the virus is used  
to inhabiting inferior life forms, or maybe even animals."  
"Great!" Sam smiled, "I'd better go see the General."  
"I'll send someone if there's any change."  
"Thanks." Sam walked out with a spring in her step.  
  
The de-briefing room  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"Major Carter." General Hammond greeted Sam, "How's he doing?"  
"A lot better. It looks like he's going to wake up soon."  
"But I thought you said..." Daniel began to ask.  
"I know, it's a long story."  
"I want to know your opinion on another mission to Z4S8181 (A/N: The planet where Jack got  
the virus)."  
"But, sir, we don't know how Colonel O'Niell got the virus. Anyone who went back would be  
susceptible." Sam had another thought, "Why would we want to go back anyway?"  
"We don't. Colonel Maybourne does."  
"What?!"   
"According to him, this virus is like the Anthrax. He thinks that we could use it and he want a  
sample."  
"But that would mean putting a team in severe risk!"  
"It isn't like Maybourne to want diseases, I thought he disected aliens?" Daniel inerrupted.  
"That was the other choice."  
"What was?"  
"He wanted to take Colonel O'Niell."  
"WHAT?!" Sam and Daniel both yelled.  
"That guy has gone TOO FAR this time!" Sam growled.  
"Needless to say Dr Fraiser refused to allow Colonel O'Niell to be moved, but unfortunately,   
Colonel Maybourne insists that he stay here."  
"General Hammond," Teal'c said, "Can you not have Colonel Maybourne forcibly removed   
from these premises?"  
"No. The President has ordered that Colonel O'Niell be kept under constant observation, and   
Maybourne seems to have taken it on himself to enforce the President's wishes."  
"Damn." Sam cursed, "Where is he now?"  
"I have no idea, but I've told him that if he goes anywhere near Colonel O'Niell, I'll have him   
shot. Dismissed."  
Sam, Daniel and Teal'c walked out of the de-briefing room,  
"I hope the General was joking." Daniel said uncertainly.  
"I don't." Sam said, "Jack was right, we should've shot him a long time ago."  
Suddenly, an unpleasantly familiar voice echoed down the corridor behind them,  
"Major Carter, Dr. Jackson, Teal'c!" Maybourne swaggered towards them, "Long time, no see!"  
They turned slowly and Sam and Daniel glared at him, whereas Teal'c merely looked at him.  
"What do you want, Maybourne?" Daniel asked, still glaring.  
"Oh, I'm hurt. I came to see if Colonel O'Niell was feeling alright."  
"Keep away from him Maybourne, the General won't let you take him."  
"The General might have to let me take him. I have authorisation."  
"Colonel Maybourne," Teal'c said calmly, "You are fortunate that I no longer carry my staff   
weapon, for if I did - "  
" - Okay, that's enough, Teal'c. He's not worth a court-martial." Sam placed a hand on Teal'c's   
arm and looked defiantly at Maybourne, "Just stay out of our way."  
Maybourne turned and walked off down the corridor, clearly unnerved by Teal'c.  
Daniel grinned at Teal'c,  
"Way to go, Teal'c!"   
Janet suddenly came running down the corridor from the direction Maybourne had gone,  
"He's waking up!"  
Sam looked at Daniel and Teal'c and they ran after her to the infirmary.  
  
  
The Infirmary  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
They stood behind the glass window with General Hammond, watching as Jack slowly started  
to come to life.  
"We don't know how he'll react, so we have to stay behind here until he's fully awake." Janet   
explained. Sam held her breath as Jack's eyes opened and he looked round, "Okay," Janet said to  
the medical team, "let's go in there."  
Sam folowed them through the door, and watched as they checked all the monitors,  
"Okay, Colonel," Janet began, "You'll feel a slight sting." She pulled out a tube into the back of   
his hand, but he didn't even wince. Sam knew there was something wrong.  
"Why isn't he talking?" Sam asked Janet.  
"With all the drugs we've been pumping into him, and with being unconcious, he might not   
regain speech for a couple of hours. Don't worry, it's perfectly normal." Janet replied. Sam   
frowned, something just wasn't right, "Okay, we need to do some tests. You can wait outside if   
you want." Janet turned and picked up a large needle to take a blood sample, and Daniel   
walked out. Sam nodded and followed him.   
They went and rejoined the General and Teal'c behind the window, watching what Janet was   
doing. Daniel automatically winced as Janet stuck the needle into Jack's arm, and Sam   
grinned at the reflex reaction.  
"Still scared of needles?" She tried not to laugh.  
Daniel glared at her.  
Janet came back in to put the samples through the computer. She had left two of the medical   
team in the room, removing all the wires and tubes. Suddenly there was a flash of light and  
the two women were on the ground, either unconcious or dead.  
"What the-?" General Hammond began.   
Jack stood up and walked out of the room, down the corridor.  
"C'mon, Teal'c." Sam said and ran out to follow him.  
  
  
Sam rounded the corner to be faced with Jack, or Jack's body and whatever was controlling him,  
standing as if he was waiting for her. She pointed the zat gun at him and Teal'c aimed his staff.  
"Colonel?" She asked, "Jack?"  
"I am not 'Jack'." The thing spoke with a Gou'ald's voice.  
"Who are you?"  
"You cannot stop me."  
"Who the hell are you?"  
"I am not Jack."  
"Okay, we got that, already! What do you want here?"  
"I want your world."  
"Why?"  
"Because our world is no longer compatible."  
"What do you want with our world?"  
"Let me show you." Jack raised his hand as if about to use a ribbon-device. Sam took an   
automatic step backwords. Teal'c charged the staff weapon in readiness to fire but Jack said, "Do  
not fire your weapon, because it will harm Samantha Carter." Sam wanted to ask how he knew  
her name, but she didn't have time.   
A band of electicity shot through the air to Sam's head. She tried to cry out, but she  
was paralysed and couldn't move. The voice echoed through Sam's brain, although Jack wasn't  
moving his mouth,  
"You see, I can control your mind. Jack O'Niell has a strong mind however, and he tries to break  
through."  
"Please help me, Jack." Sam said mentally.  
"Aaaaahh!" The thing screamed suddenly, making Sam screw her eyes together with pain.  
"Sam!" Jack's voice broke through, "Sam!"  
"Jack! Help!"  
"Zat gun." Jack gasped,  
"What?"  
"Fire the zat gun."  
"It'll kill you." Sam said but Jack didn't reply, "Jack?"  
"He is under control. Do not try to talk to him, I will punish him for this." The Gou'ald said.  
Sam heard Jack cry out in pain.  
"Jack!" Sam screamed.  
"Will you stop trying to contact him?"   
"You bastard. What have you done to him?"  
"I have punished him. He will no longer offer any resistance."  
"Jack!"  
"YOU ARE A STUBBORN RACE!"  
"Sam. Sam." Jack once again spoke, "Please, fire the zat gun." He gasped in pain, "For crying   
out loud, Sam! Fire the gun!"  
Sam tried to fire the gun, but she could only lift her arm half way.  
"I can't!" She cried in pain.  
"Try!"  
Sam forced her arm up and fired a single shot at Jack. Nothing happened to him.  
"Do it again!" He yelled.  
"No. It'll kill you!"  
"The thing'll kill you if you don't fire. Goddammit, Sam. FIRE!"  
Sam felt her arm involunterily wrenched upwards and turned her face away. She felt the   
presence over her squeeze the trigger. She heard Jack and the thing scream and her mind  
seemed to explode. She screamed and collapsed at the same time as Jack.  
  
  
The next day, in the infirmary  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Sam groaned and tried to open her eyes. Why the hell do they insist on having the lights so   
bright in here? she thought.  
"Sam?" Jack said.  
Sam's eyes shot open.   
"Jack?"   
Jack smiled down at her.  
"How you feeling?"  
"A little sore."  
"I guess that's to be expected."  
"How come you - "  
"It's a long story. Ask the doc."  
"Janet?"  
Janet turned round and smiled.  
"Glad you're awake, Sam. We came that close to losing you." Janet indicated a gap between her  
thumb and forefinger.  
"What happened?"  
"Colonel O'Niell had been taken over by a Gou'ald. Instead of having one large single Gou'ald  
however, he had millions of them in his blood."  
"And the shots from the zat gun killed them, but left some kind of protection." Sam finished for  
Janet.  
"Yes. How did you know that?"  
"One of Jolinar's memories seems to be of a Tok'ra being taken as a host to a new species of   
Gou'ald. The same thing happened to him except," Sam paused at the painful memory, "The  
Tok'ra died of his wounds."  
"Colonel O'Niell seems to have been too strong for the Gou'ald to have any lasting effects on   
him."  
"Hey," Jack said, "you seem suprised!"  
Sam grinned. Yup, they deffinately had the old Jack back.  
  
  
Later that week  
~~~~~~~~~~  
Sam walked down the corridor and just passed Jack's office when she heard him call her,  
"Carter!"  
She turned round,  
"Uh huh?"  
"Can I have a word?"  
Sam nodded and followed him into the office. He motioned for her to close the door and she did.  
"Sam."  
"Sir?"  
"You know what I said on Z5R9090?"  
"Yes." Oh God, thought Sam, here it comes. He's gonna say that he didn't mean it, that it was  
the pain talking, not him.  
"I meant it."  
"Oh." Now that, she wasn't expecting.  
"You realise that as long as we're still both military, nothing can happen."  
Sam nodded. Where was this leading?  
"There's just one thing I forgot to do." Jack said and leant forward and kissed her softly. She   
kissed back but he broke away sooner than Sam wanted.  
Suddenly, Daniel walked in and sensed that he'd walked in on something private.  
"Oh, sorry. I'll just - " Daniel made as if to walk out again, but Jack spoke,  
"No, Daniel, Major Carter was just leaving."  
Sam nodded and left. As she was walking down the corridor, she smiled to herself. She   
understood.  
  
  
Later that day, as they were all leaving the base, Jack stopped by General Hammond's office.  
"I just have to give the General something."  
"Okay, Jack. We'll wait for you." Daniel said. None of them knew what Jack was about to do.  
He knocked and walked in.  
"Jack. What can I do for you?"  
Jack shut the door.  
"I'm handing in notice of my retirement." Jack saw the look on General Hammonds face, "For  
good."  
"Are you sure about this?"  
"Yes. There are some things that I realise I'd like to do, instead of the military."  
General Hammond nodded. He knew that this was Jack's way of being able to get involved with  
Sam.  
"I understand, son. I'd like to suggest something though." He paused and thought about what he  
was going to say, then continued, "If I promote Major Carter to head of SG1, you could stay on  
as a civilian member of the team. Your expertese is invaluable to the Stargate program."  
Jack grinned, he'd expected the General to say that.  
"Certainly, sir."  
"Good. Are you going to announce this, or shall I?"  
"I'm afraid you'll have to, sir. I'm a civilian."   
General Hammond smiled and nodded. Jack turned and left, grinning from ear to ear.  
"What did you do?" Daniel asked.  
"Oh, just made a few changes." Jack took Sam's hand and grinned even more at the shocked  
expression on her and Daniel's faces. Teal'c just raised his eyebrow, "C'mon, we got a lot to talk  
about."   
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
Author's Note: Phew....that took one heck of a long time to write!   
Actually, I've just read it through and I've realised how crap it is. Damn.   
Anyway, this might be my last stargate fic for a long time, cos people at school *glares at certain  
people* (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE) are pestering me to right more Harry Potter fics.  
If anyone has read my quotes fic as well, if you have any suggestions, email me, or tell me in   
your review and I'll add them.  
I really need some useful feedback with regards to my writing (cos I don't think it's up to much!)  
so please r/r.  
Thanks.  
  
  
  



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